KBC Tower

Europe's first skyscraper, a 1930s Art Deco landmark

The KBC Tower — better known locally as the Boerentoren (Farmer's Tower) — was the first skyscraper built in Europe when it went up in 1930. The nickname comes from the bank that commissioned it, which was originally a farmers' cooperative. Standing 87 metres tall in Art Deco style, it still dominates the Antwerp skyline along the Meir shopping street.

The building is not open to the public, but it's a striking landmark visible from much of the city centre, and worth knowing about as a piece of architectural history.

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